From DE 103 01 191 A1, a method for operating an internal combustion engine is believed to be understood, in which a first cylinder is identified that comes to a standstill in its compression cycle or power cycle when the internal combustion engine is slowing down. For an instant shortly before the internal combustion engine comes to a standstill, at which a compressing cylinder is no longer able to be brought over a compression peak, a second cylinder is selected whose intake or discharge valve is open then. The charge of this second cylinder is adjusted in such a way that one of the cylinders comes to a stop in a power phase approximately at a first predefined crank angle after a top dead center.